Caffeine 'n' Diesel
Covid fatigue had really taxed our creative urges the previous two years. After getting horribly derailed in 2020 with lockdowns and all the uncertainty, we just didn't have the creative energy to do anything and sadly our 2020 Vision project never saw the light.
2021....thank heavens for little Lola. In the midst of a polar vortex and continuing lockdowns in February 2022, my husband and I became caretakers for an orphaned newborn baby goat. Through a whole series of events, she became a beloved part of our family.
I had made daily posts about life with a little goat and started to get feedback about how she was helping friends' mental health in the midst of the pandemic. We formed The Lola Project with the the blessings of the Airdrie Health Foundation, with the hope of raising $1000 for mental health care in our community. The Studio 52 artists jumped on board and together we created Lola art that was featured on coffee cups and greeting cards. We also sold clothing and when lockdowns eased somewhat, were able to do personal Lola visits with Lola and her twin brother, Sad Gary. (He'd come to live with us when he was about 3 months old. Up to then, he'd lived with a different family who'd adopted him.) When the fundraiser completed in November 2021, Lola and Gary had raised over $5000! Those funds were earmarked for new moms who had lost their social supports due to Covid lockdowns. Who knew a little goat could make such a difference.
A spin-off from The Lola Project was my book called "What Could Possibly Go Wrong??" a romping collection of fictional stories about our two little goats, Lola and Sad Gary. Based on true events, these stories captured hilarious situations that Lola and Gary got into when they lived with us. The real videos and photos that inspired the stories are found on Lola's Facebook page @lolathelittlegoat. Please contact me directly to order a book.
We moved from our farm to town in 2023 and it broke our hearts to have to find Lola and Sad Gary a new home. We were so lucky to have them welcomed into The Alice Sanctuary near us. Lola and Gary can still be found on Facebook @lolathelittlegoat and on Instagram at #lolathelittlegoat. All of the original posts from when she lived with us are there. Grab a coffee, sit back, and let her and Gary warm your heart!
